


What About Us...?

by Bandaged_Beanie



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, Prostitute Eren Yeager, Prostitution, Stripper Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Strippers & Strip Clubs, ereri, eruri - Freeform, past eruri, riren - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-10-09
Packaged: 2019-01-10 20:56:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 8,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12307638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bandaged_Beanie/pseuds/Bandaged_Beanie
Summary: Maybe a one night stand could change Levi and Eren's lives for the better.





	1. Chapter 1

Eren stepped through the door of the strip club, he kept his gaze locked on the floor as he plopped down on a bar stool. He glanced around, not fazed by seeing new and embarrassed faces watch the performers on stage. He himself had been coming here for the past year, so the shame he once felt was long gone. Nothing here seemed to interest him much anymore. He turned to the bartender ready to forget the events that took place that night with a few shots, when he realized who was serving the drinks that night. "Well look who took a break from giving handjobs in the alleyway." Jean said with a sneer. Eren scoffed, "It's your job to serve drinks not be an asshole." The two men knew eachother from highschool and had never gotten along. They constantly got into fights back then and through some bad luck ended up back in contact with one another. Although they had sort of a mutual hate, they had ceased getting into altercations. Especially since now a fight would put them in the hands of the law rather than a principal's office.

Eren was constantly teased by the other male because of what he'd resorted to for work. He wasn't ashamed of it, but he wasn't happy with it either. To him it was just another way of making money. The only reason the blonde had found out about his work was because Eren had gained sort of a reputation there. The brunett had a pretty indifferent attitude towards it though, but that was just who he was. Indifferent, and unwilling to admit to anything.

After the two finished throwing insults at eachother Eren was finally served, "I drink to forget, but I always remember." He said under his breath before downing the contents of the small glass in his hand. He glanced up to the stage, seeing one of the usual performers there. They called him 'Raven.' His skin was so pale it almost looked porcelain, his hair was a midnight black cut into an undercut, and every swift move around the pole he made was excuted with elegance. Eren caught himself staring, and could almost swear that he was looking right back at him. He averted his gaze and hadn't even noticed when the performance ended. He'd seen him there only a few times on stage and if he was being truly honest with himself, he might have been one of the reasons Eren insisted on coming in whenever he had the time.

After a few more drinks he started to get a buzz, it would take a lot for him to be fully intoxicated and he didn't plan to try to get home drunk. He stood up, payed for his drinks and was about to leave when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see the man that was on stage just a few minutes ago was now standing in front of him. This time wearing black jeans matched with a leather jacket and a grey scarf around his neck. "Your Eren, right?" asked the shorter male. "Who wants to know?" Eren replied. The stripper looked up at him expressionless, looking as uninterested as possible. "I do, the name's Levi." Eren looked him up and down, and said with a smirk, "Nice to know shortcake. Seeing as you already know my name, can I assume you're aware of what I'm known for around here?" Levi winced at the nickname, "Oh, I'm well versed in your reputation. By the way, call me shortcake or  _any_ other name insulting my height, and I'll cut out your tongue." The brunett rolled his eyes, "Did you want something or just expect me to stand here and look pretty?" The shorter male stepped closer to him, examining his body, "Actually brat, I wanted to purchase your services for the night." Eren gave him sort of a surprised look, 'He's a stripper with a perfect body, he can get anyone he wants. Why would he want me?' He nodded to the darker haired male, "Alright then, I charge two hundred for one night." Levi smirked and walked ahead, gesturing for him to follow him out of the club.


	2. Chapter 2

It didn't take long before the two were parked in front of an apartment building, taking their time getting out of the car and walking inside. The trip there was spent in dead silence, which both had no complaint about. Both had a good idea of what was going to happen that night and couldn't seem to shake the thought out of their head. Although, little did one another know that their night wouldn't go exactly as planned.

   Eren followed Levi into the lobby then to the elevator. As the raven pushed the button for the third floor, Eren took the chance to examine him more. Images flashed in his mind of having him exposed and pinned down. He could only imagine the lewd and sinful noises he would make when he found just the right spot inside of him. Along with his perverted thoughts came ones, of what could best be explained as regret. These were thoughts the brunett had to always push to the back of his mind...Although he could play the part of a smooth and silent hustler, he had to bury his anxiety deeper within himself. He had experienced nights that began like this before, nothing seemed wrong or out of place, but before he was able to realize something was, it was too late. It was nerve racking trying to determine how this night would play out. Even more to try and read someone like Levi, who seemed to be a blank page tucked away in a novel.

  The sound of the elevator doors opening along with Levi's footsteps snapped him back into reality and tore him away from his thoughts. He followed along behind him until finally they reached a door with the number '302' painted in black on the dark, chestnut brown colored door. The shorter male took out the keys from his pocket, unlocked the door and opened it, gesturing for Eren to come inside. The brunett let out a breath he'd been holding and followed him inside.

  Once he walked in, Levi instructed him to take off his shoes so he wouldn't make any mess he'd have to come back and take care of. Eren did as he was asked before joining Levi in his kitchen.

  Levi pulled out a wine bottle and two glasses, he filled them both with a red liquid that possessed a peculiar yet alluring scent. As Eren walked into the room he handed him one of the glasses. "Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the best French wines there is," said the raven. Eren gave him a simple thank you before taking a sip of his drink. Levi did the same before glancing back at him and attempting a conversation with him. "You seem nervous." Even though he was, the brunett wouldn't admit to it. "I'm not nervous," Eren said sternly. Levi gave him a questioning look, "Really? You've been acting like it ever since you stepped in the elevator. Like you're trying to figure out every way tonight could go wrong." Eren let out a sigh and put down his drink. Before he had the chance to speak, the raven spoke up again,  "It's not hard to tell what your thinking considering what you do." Eren turned to him and glared, "I'm sorry, did you invite me over to fuck or sip tea and talk?" He hated that someone could so easily read his actions. Levi looked up at him and smirked, "Someone's eager." Eren rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, clearly annoyed by the other, "The only thing I'm eager to do tonight is leave and be alone." 

Levi set down his drink and walked over to the taller male. Eren leaned down to his height and was about to kiss him before the raven stepped away from him. The brunett gave him a confused look, "I don't like anything or anyone touching me if I don't where they've been," Levi explained. He pointed Eren in the direction of the bathroom. Hesitantly,  he decided he'd go and shower like the other requested in hope he would make some progress in making his stay there shorter. As he did so, Levi took off his scarf and jacket, laying them on the couch as he walked into his  living-room, leaving him in a dark grey tank top and jeans. Next to his couch was a small table that held a lamp and a few picture frames. One of the pictures was of himself and an old girlfriend, another with his parents smiling and holding one another, the final one of him and a current boyfriend. They'd been together for three years, but Levi knew he wasn't faithful to him. When he first found out, it had crushed him. He wanted to yell at him, tell him what a piece of shit he was for fucking someone behind his back, but...He couldn't. Erwin was the first person he'd really felt a connection with and he just wasn't ready to give that up. He'd first caught him with another guy eight months into their relationship, he came home one day  and heard the two fucking in their bedroom. He didn't have the nerve to confront the blonde about it. Instead, he went out that day and when he came back acted like nothing had happened. Things had continued like this for some time and eventually Levi found himself wanting more than him. He wanted more than a cheating, lying boyfriend. 

Levi held the frame loosely in his hand as memories of the two flashed in his mind. He didn't even notice when Eren walked into the room. The brunett was wearing only his boxers and a towel around his neck. He walked over to the couch, standing over the raven and glanced at the picture in his hand. "Who's that?" He asked. Levi sighed and set the frame face down, "No one important." He stood up, coming face to face with the taller male as he pulled him down to his height and suddenly kissed him. Eren kissed back,wrapping his arms around his waist. Levi pulled away and took him by his hand, "Let's go to the bedroom." Eren nodded and followed along behind him. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpk9PfOVFQk Here's a song that kinda goes with the chapter.

Levi pulled Eren into the room with him, closing the door behind them. Levi turned around and found himself pinned against the door with the brunett kissing him, their tongues fighting for dominance. Levi eventually gave in to Eren, letting himself lean into his soft touch as he let go of his wrists and slowly slid his hands underneath his shirt. He lightly pressed his nails into the raven's sides, trailing them up and down his body. Levi felt a slight shiver in his spine as Eren teased him. It was almost too much for him to handle, he let out breathless gasps and whimpers but refused to beg the brunett for anymore attention. Eren began to nip at Levi's neck before finding a sensitive place and lightly sucking on it. The raven wrapped his arms around the other's neck, sinking his nails into his back as held back moans and the urge to tell the other to just hurry up and fuck him. He couldn't remember the last time he'd lost control this badly. Eren continued to go at an agonizingly slow pace, smirking when Levi would let out high pitched whimpers and squirm under him after finding a highly sensitive part of his body. Finally, the shorter male had enough. He pushed Eren off of him, making him stumble back onto the bed. Levi crawled on top of him, straddling the other's hips. The brunett took no time in pinning the other underneath him. This was the first time he'd let someone else take control of this kind of situation. He turned his head to the side, giving Eren permission to leave his mark on him. 

As Eren began to kiss his neck, they heard the door to the bedroom creak open. They had been so caught up in their actions they didn't hear the front door being unlocked, or the heavy footsteps leading to the bedroom. Levi pushed Eren off of him and both were now faced with a tall, angry, blonde. Erwin was speechless at what he saw. He stormed back into the living room, and Levi immediately got out of bed and followed him. Eren let out a sigh, "Another guy using me to fuck around on his boyfriend," he said under his breath. He could already hear the two beginning to argue. 

"I can't believe you, Levi. Three years, three fucking years we've been together and this is what you do while I'm away on a business trip. How could you do this to me?" Erwin said angrily as he stood with his arms crossed, glaring down at him. "Don't act innocent, Erwin. You've been fucking around on me since we started dating. You think I haven't come home and heard you with someone else in our bedroom?" Levi said, trying to stay calm. The blonde sighed, "Okay, I fucked up once. Why not confront me when it happened? Why wait until now and fuck some whore while I'm gone?" The raven scoffed, "Once? You and I both know that's complete bullshit." Erwin turned away from him and pinched the bridge of his nose. He thought that the actions he committed behind his back were his own, dirty secrets. "I can't deal with this right now." Levi crossed his arms, glaring at him, "Then leave." The two words were ones he wish he would've said a long time ago. He knew he deserved more than him, but couldn't find it in himself to say 'fuck it' and tell him to get out. This was someone he'd thought he would be with forever, someone that would finally give him his 'happily ever after.' Of course he knew better, life was no Disney movie. Erwin turned to him, "No problem." He stormed out of the apartment and slammed the door behind him. 

Levi looked down and ran a hand through his hair. "Fuck," he said under his breath. He had so many feelings that seemed to flood in and mix all at once.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AN: Short Chapter

Eren walked into the room to see Levi in tears. "...Are you crying?" The brunett asked. Levi quickly wiped his eyes and sniffled, "No, I'm not." His pale cheeks that were now a blushing pink, along with his red eyes showed differently. Levi was never the emotional type, but losing Erwin... It struck a nerve with him.

He never thought what they had would end. After only a few months of dating, they had bought an apartment and moved in together. Even after he found out about the blonde's affairs, he still treated the raven with the same affection he had always given him. Although, Levi did distance himself from him.

He hated someone else seeing him emotional like this. It was embarrassing, more over, Eren now had seen his weak side. 

  
Eren sighed, "I guess I'll just get my clothes and leave." As he made his way to the bathroom to get dressed, the raven stopped him. "Actually... Would you mind staying?" The brunett looked over at him, he looked shaken from the argument he and Erwin had. "Sure, no problem." Eren replied. "Thank you." Levi said as he walked back into his room and sat on the bed. Eren followed him, "Are you alright?" He asked as he leaned against the bedroom's door frame. Levi refused to show anymore emotion than he already had, "I'm fine." The brunett walked over to the bed and sat by him, "Meaning you actually aren't." Eren wasn't very talented at reading people, but he knew that the usual meaning behind those two words were the complete opposite of their meaning. "Tsk, shut up before I kick you out of my apartment  _without_  your clothes." Eren dropped the subject, "Fine, I won't pry into your life." The raven rolled his eyes and laid down, "Whatever, I just need to sleep." He pulled the blankets over himself and turned on his side. Eren smirked, "Nighty night shorty." Levi mumbled his name, "Eren...?" The brunett glanced over at him, "Yes Levi?" Without hesitation, the raven turned over and kicked Eren off the bed. He landed with a thud onto the floor, then stood up, holding his side which he would most likely wake up with a bruise on the next morning. Levi calmly turned back over and yawned, "I warned you about calling me short." Eren cursed under his breath as he laid down and made himself comfortable, slowly drifting off to sleep.   
  



	5. Chapter 5

The next morning Levi woke up in bed alone. He sat up and for only mere seconds did the events from the night before seem to be vacant from his memory. All of the sudden he had a splitting headache, he held his head in his hands and images flooded into his mind. Ones of Eren carressing his body, then Erwin leaving, and the last being the attractive brunett in his bed. He ran a hand through his hair, hoping, almost praying that it was all just a horrible nightmare. But of course, reality hit him like a fuck ton of bricks. As the alarm on his phone went off, he picked it up to shut the damn thing off. He was already awake so it only served useful as a nuisance now. When he typed in his password and finally stopped the noise, he noticed another notification. It was a text message from Erwin. 'I' **l** **l be back to pick up my things later on this week. I'm staying with a friend for now.'** Levi scoffed to himself, "Friend, probably another one of his fuck buddies." He said under his breath. He got out of bed and headed straight for the shower, maybe it would help him to relax and clear his mind.

Eren was back in his own shitty apartment, that's how he referred to it anyways. It wasn't messy, in a bad part of town, it was one of the best places he could afford. And considering he could easily make around six to eight hundred dollars a night, it was pretty nice. He had a decent sized living room, two bedrooms, each with their own bathroom and shower, with sort of a small kitchen, which wasn't a big problem since Eren ate out most of the time. The only thing he didn't like about his living space were the things he had done in it. Although he knew the dangers of bringing someone to his home, he made exceptions. Of course only when a customer didn't want to go to their place, or found an alley way an unsuitable place to conduct such actions.

He sighed as he leaned against his front door, he hated that he left Levi alone like that. Although, he was sure the raven would understand. Eren worked day and night, while Levi only worked during the night. He was sure they would meet again soon. That night he would make his usual rounds, taking care of a few regulars that were always happy to see him,or rather use him. He would make his way to the same bar he had seen Levi in many times, and maybe try talking to him. He hated to think he was the cause of his relationship ending. But there was also a chance he could take advantage of this opportunity and show the raven he might have some sort of interest in him. He felt guilty for even of thinking about doing such a thing but then again, it wouldn't hurt to at least try, right?


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gayE-gneACg Song that goes with a thing.

Levi looked himself over in the mirror. It was ten o'clock at night, meaning it was time for him to go to work. It would be another night of walking into the same club he had for years, with older men trying to grab him inappropriately, then getting up on stage to show off what they could never have to themselves. It had become a routine after so long, and even though this wasn't a dream job for Levi, he was content with it. He had found what could only be described as a passion for pole dancing. Working on moves to show off his body in such shameless ways, he loved it. He craved the attention he got on stage, the lustful stares and exited cheers from the crowd, words of praise were his motivation to continue any performance once it had started. Once it had ended, he could always give a satisfied smirk knowing he had left everyone wanting more. It seemed the only way anyone would ever have enough of him is if they were some how able to get their hands on him. Levi made sure that never happened.

But tonight he had a feeling that his routine wouldn't go as planned. He just knew that he would see Eren again that night. He was there almost every night, but the night before was the first time he had ever approached him. And what a great way to start off, with an offer of purchasing his services. On top of that, Erwin had to intrude on their time together and the brunette had witnessed a rare scene, the raven showing emotion. Crying none the less. But, it's been more than adequately explained why he felt compelled to do so.

Eren sat at the bar, glancing at Levi as he walked past him. He almost immediately regretted not getting his attention, but what would he say once he did? He watched him go back stage, knowing that it wouldn't be long before he would be on stage, flaunting his perfect, toned body. He wanted to make himself believe that he only came to watch the show, but he wanted to talk to him again. He felt as if he owed him some kind of apology.

As he struggled to find his words, he glanced up to see the Raven. He seemed so different when he performed. More... stoic. A complete unwillingness to show emotion.

His breath caught in his throat at the sight of him, the shorter male wore a complex system of black leather belts that wrapped tightly around his body. He wasn't as short as usual thanks to the heels he was wearing, and the tight shorts that hugged his ass and thighs left nothing to the brunette's imagination. As he walked onto the stage, Flight to Paris by Bobby Newberry began to play. He gripped the pole, doing a quick spin to make sure everyone got a good look of what they'd never get.

As the song built up to the chorus, Levi wrapped his legs around the pole, gently falling onto his back. His head tipped back slightly off the stage, his eyes holding a lustful look in them. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AN: Short Chapter :')

Eren was speechless for a moment, but kindly followed the young woman back stage. She gave him directions of where to find his dressing room, then hurried off. Thoughts raced through his head, and all he could hear was his heart beating in his chest. There was no reason for him to be so nervous, but he couldn't help it.

After a few minutes, he found Levi's room. As he stepped in front of the door, it opened and he was met with a glare from the shorter male. "You get lost brat? I told Petra to find you twenty minutes ago." Eren didn't get the chance to answer before Levi rolled his eyes and pushed away from the door frame, leaving the door open for the brunette to come in. He shut the door behind him and pulled up a chair that was against one of the walls and sat down. He looked over at Levi, just now noticing he wasn't wearing what he had worn on stage earlier. Now, he had on a black zip up jacket and a pair of loose jeans. Eventually his piercing gaze met Eren's and he broke the silence that hung heavily between them. "You're probably wondering why I wanted to see you... I saw you here tonight and I wanted to apologize about my boyfr-, I mean my ex last night." He looked away awkwardly from mentioning the situation. "Apologize? Levi, aren't I the reason you two broke up?" The raven haired male tugged at the sleeves of his jacket, he didn't want to talk about something that had admittedly hurt him emotionally.

"Yes... But it was for the best. Not that I even want to be telling you any of this, but Erwin... He cheated on me. Not just once, but through our whole relationship. And so when I heard about you, seeing as you've made a name for yourself around this place by being a whore,I thought... I thought that maybe if I did the same thing it would be like getting revenge by doing what he'd done to me the past three years. Of course, I never intended for him to come home and catch us." Levi sighed and tried focusing on anything else but the person sitting in front of him. He couldn't stand that he had this much trouble explaining what he did and why he did it. It was the truth though, and Eren deserved to hear it.

"I don't understand, why didn't you just break up with him after you found out he was fucking around behind your back?" 

"Because," He began, "I loved him. And now I realize that all loving anyone does is hurt you in the end."

With that said, Levi stood up and left the room, leaving Eren alone with mixed feelings of shock and confusion from his answer.


	8. Chapter 8

It didn't take long for Eren to find his way back to the bar, and then out of the door. He managed to catch Levi in the parking lot as he unlocking the door to his car. "What do you want?" He asked in his casual, cold tone of voice. "Look, I know you're dealing with alot of emotional shit right now, and I was thinking that if you don't feel like being alone, then maybe you could come over to my place." Levi rolled his eyes at the offer, "Look, I gave you an explanation that I thought you deserved because you were at the wrong place, at the wrong time and had to be a part of my whole fucked up situation. Whatever happens from here on out, is none of your concern. So, here's a little advice, don't worry about me. Being alone is actually what's best for me right now." 

 

"If that's what you think is best then why did you ask me to stay last night?" The brunette asked as bravely as he could, which wasn't saying much. Levi turned to glare at him, the raven's fist clenched by his side as he spoke. "I was emotional, and I say and so alot of stupid shit when I'm emotional." Eren stepped closer to him, "Was that you being emotional back there then?" Levi was speechless he didn't want to talk anymore, he just wanted to leave. Before he could, Eren spoke up again and was now standing inches away from him, "Loving someone doesn't mean you always get hu-" Before he could finish his sentence, he was cut off. "I don't need to hear this from someone who's as young as you and never actually been in love before. You don't know what it's like to fall for someone, and have them lie and cheat every chance they get. You don't know how hard it is to say you love someone knowing they don't mean it when they say it back. You have no idea how that feels, do you?" Eren stood silently, there was nothing he could say back. "That's what I thought." Levi got into his car and left without another word. 

 

Eren began his short walk home, finally deciding to take out his phone and headphones to block out the deafening silence around him. He didn't even bother to scroll through his playlist, letting whatever song played first begin and turned the up the volume as high as it would go. He walked through the silent, dark streets, with only dim street lights to guide him.

 

Once he stood at his front door, he took out his keys and unlocked the door. He went through his usual routine, shower, eat, sleep. One that he'd repeated for years. But after finishing whatever he'd decided to microwave that night he stepped into his bedroom and noticed the textbooks that sat on his nightstand. Well, they were only in the way now. He gave up on school two months ago. He only had eight months left of college before he graduated, but he was barely passing anyways. He was still getting emails from teachers about overdue assignments and work that hadn't been turned in. Eren didn't even bother to answer them or let them take up any space in his mind. 

 

He picked up the stack of books and moved them to the desk in the corner of his room before laying down in his bed to sleep. Thoughts from the night before clouded his mind, but only for a moment. Levi made it clear he wanted nothing to do with him now. He barely knew the guy, but... But nothing. That's what he was to him, and Eren would just have to live with that and forget him.  He was mixed up in a situation that he shouldn't have been in, and Levi was nice enough to admit his mistakes and explain to Eren a bit of his past. Clearly he had said more than he wanted to, but at least he had a clearer image of why things played out the way they did. 

 

He soon drifted off to sleep without another thought of the conversation he'd had with Levi that night, or anything he'd had to do with the man.


	9. Chapter 9

Levi stepped through the door of his apartment and glanced around, everything was clean enough to his liking so he could skip his cleaning routine tonight. He slid off his jacket and walked straight to the bathroom for a shower. Once he was shirtless, he turned and looked in the mirror, the belts he wore that night had left marks where they had been secured tightly around his body. They didn't bother him too much, he knew they would fade by morning.

After getting out of the shower and drying his hair, he slipped into a pair of black sweatpants and a loose tanktop. He didn't bother to eat, he was too sick to his stomach. He walked into the living room, and the first thing he noticed was the picture frame with a picture of him and Erwin.

His mind clouded with anger for a moment, memories from their fight, all the years of feeling not good enough, finally leading up to this. Three years... Three fucking years, of betrayal and tragedy, laid out in his mind like a romance novel without the overly passionate lovers. Instead, a bitter ending involving one man who was so convinced he found love, he stayed with someone who remained unfaithful and lied whenever he got the chance. No. That wasn't love. It was one man addicted to a drug that he found in someone else. Nothing but utter infatuation.

He reached for the frame, hands trembling, and without a second thought threw it against the wall. It was almost as if he'd lost control and the only thing that brought him out of haze was the piercing sound of the glass shattering as it crashed into the wall. 

  
It was strange, how everything became clear to him all of the sudden. He glanced down at the floor, noticing the shards of glass everywhere. "Shit..." He said under his breath. The raven took a deep breath before sitting on the couch to calm himself. He held his face in his hands before pushing his hair back and shutting his eyes. Levi eventually convinced himself that he should get some sleep. 

 

He stood up and walked to his bedroom. To say he had trouble sleeping would be an understatement. He lay there until two in the morning, staring at the ceiling. He continually glanced at his alarm clock, hoping he would eventually become exhausted and pass out. But, it seemed as if that time would never come. Just as he noticed another hour had passed, he felt tears prick at his eyes. His body began to shake and he broke down as he laid alone. He gripped his pillow, holding it tightly against himself.

He felt pathetic... But he couldn't hold his feelings in forever. He'd done this to himself. If he had just confronted Erwin earlier about him cheating, then he wouldn't be going through this now. He wouldn't be a heartbroken mess, crying into a pillow like a five year old who just woke up from a nightmare. He wished this was a nightmare, but this was reality. One he could have avoided. As tears slid down his cheeks, exhaust finally overtook him and he slipped into a deep sleep.

His mind remained void of any dreams that night, and he woke up still clutching his pillow, as if he was afraid it would have slipped from his grasp in the middle of the night.


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning, Levi woke up with puffy eyes and dried tears on his cheeks. He sat up slowly, reluctant to look over at his alarm clock. His eyes slowly blinked open and noticed the bright red numbers that showed two thirty and the blinding sunlight that beamed through his window, shining rays of disappointment in his face. He pulled the blankets over his head, plopping back down on his pillow. As he slowly began to slip into a light sleep, hoping for a few more minutes of rest, his cell phone went off. He sat up, groaning and blindly feeling around to stop the annoying sound. Finally, his hand slipped under his blankets and felt the cool rubber casing of his phone. He held the bright screen close to his face, trying to make out the name of who would bother to call him in the afternoon. "Tch, Hanji..." He said under in his breath in a tired, raspy voice.   
He hesitantly answered, well aware of how hyper the woman could be. "You'd better have a damn good reason for calling me." Levi said, quite agitated that he'd woken up this late in the day, and on top of that Hanji was keeping him from a few more precious moments of sleep. "Aw, did someone decide to sleep in?" She asked with a mocking tone in her voice. Levi rolled his eyes, "What do you want?" He asked, sounding slightly less bitter than before. "Oh nothing, I was talking to Petra earlier and she just happen to tell me about the pretty little boy toy you wanted to talk to _privately_  last night."

The raven let out a sigh. Petra wasn't known to gossip. But Hanji definitely had a reputation for nagging anyone that knew something she didn't until they finally broke down and talked. "Nothing happened." He stated bluntly. "Mhm... Well from what I heard, unless it's just a rumor going around, you and this mystery man spent the night together. And if you did I guess that means you and Erwin are..." She paused, waiting for Levi to answer. He was silent for a moment, his breath held in his throat. Finally, he let out a sigh, "Yeah, we're not together anymore." He said, holding back the whimper that threatened to slip past his lips. "Levi, I'm so-" She was immediately cut off, "Don't be." He said. "It was bound to end anyways." Hanji furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, "You were together for three years though, what happened?" Levi laid back, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I'll tell you later tonight, your gonna be at the club right?" Hanji let out a giggle, "Of course! Sorry I haven't been around the past few days." He rolled his eyes at the opology, "It's fine, you told me you were working on your psychology degree right? You'll get farther in life with that than working in a bar the rest of your life." "That's true, but I still miss watching your performances." She stated with a sly smirk. "Well, I guess I'll see you tonight. I have a few assignments to work on before I go anywhere. See you later shorty." With that said, she hung up.

Levi dropped his phone on the bed and threw off the covers, sitting up.  Knowing he would get to see one of his old friends had at least given him the motivation to get out of bed. He stood, yawning and running a hand through his hair as he lazily walked out of his bedroom to the bathroom. He turned the shower on, stripping off his clothes and getting in. He kept his head down, letting the hot water run down his back.   
He gave some thought to how he was going to explain to Hanji what happened. He would sound like an idiot saying he had let himself be cheated on, of course he had been dumb enough to tell a total stranger.   
Once he got out, he went through his usual morning routine, showering, making something to eat, then going to make his bed. As he passed through the living room he noticed the shattered glass on the floor, and the picture that come out of the frame. He walked over to the mess and picked up the photo, wading it up and throwing it away in a nearby trashcan. Then, being as careful as he could, he walked over the mess and headed to the kitchen, quickly finding a broom and dustpan. Once he was sure all the shards were desposed of, he made his way to his room. Before he pulled the sheets to make his bed, he noticed he had left his phone on his blanket. He groaned, reaching over to pick it up. The screen was illuminated, Levi quickly typed in his password and checked his notifications. It was a text. From Erwin. With a sigh, he read the short message.

"I'll be at the apartment tonight to get my clothes and a few of my other things. I still have my key, I'll leave it behind for you once I leave. Sorry things ended this way." - Erwin.   
He slipped his phone into the pocket of his jeans, he knew he couldn't stay here tonight. He couldn't be here to see the taller male again. He decided that he would pack a pair of clothes and stay overnight at the club. He had his own dressing room and a couch in it that he could sleep on for the night. He checked the time, 3:45... Almost seven hours until he would have to leave.

  
  



	11. Chapter 11

Levi made his way through the club's front doors with a single strap backpack over his shoulder, immediately noticing Hanji and Petra near the back of the club. He was grateful that they were keeping their distance from other people in the place, he wasn't very social. The two women quickly waved him over once they noticed him, and he gave an almost unnoticeable smile. "Levi!" Hanji yelled, wrapping her arms around the shorter male once he had gotten close enough for her to do so. She stood a few inches taller than him with her heels, which she had matched with a black skirt, a tight, red  tank top with a lace trim around the top, and a black leather choker with a heart-shaped metal ring in the middle. "Aw, you haven't grown an inch since I've last seen you!" She joked. Levi pushed away from her and gave her a sharp glare. "Shut up shitty glasses." Petra lightly wrapped her arms around her waist and smiled brightly, "C'mon Levi, lighten up a little, it's been so long since Hanji's had any time away from school." Levi let out a sigh, it was true, it  _had_  been a while since the brunette had anytime away from her school campus and piles of homework that involved countless hours of studying to understand the work she was doing. 

      She gave a short apology before trying to start conversation, "So, you and Erwin are over now huh?" Levi tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket and his expression softened, "Yeah, he's going to the apartment tonight to get his stuff and to give back his copy of the key." "Oh, I bet that's going to be awkward," Petra said, looking a bit worried for the shorter male. "That's why I don't plan on going home tonight, I have no intention of seeing him." He said with a bit of anger in his tone. Hanji gave him a confused look, "Where do plan to stay tonight then?" Levi shrugged, "I'll just sleep on the couch in my dressing room, one night here won't kill me." Petra gently set a hand on his arm, "Well, if you change your mind, your welcome at my place anytime." He thanked her for the offer, and Hanji decided to change the subject.

    "So,  _Raven ,_ what performance do you plan to put on tonight?" Hanji asked with a purr in her tone, knowing whatever Levi had planned would be flawless as usual. He sighed, "I don't think I'm up for performing tonight." Hanji pouted, making it clear how disappointed she was. "Leevvii~," she whined, "you told me you were working on a routine a few days ago, you  _have_  to perform." Petra chimed in with a light blush on her cheeks, and her eyes staring at the floor, "It would be nice to watch, I can tell how much you like being on stage."

    The shorter male thought for a moment, it was true, he loved the attention he got from what he did, maybe this could be a way to forget the pain. In no way was it getting rid of it, but for just a few minutes, he could focus on something else besides his now ex lover, and the brunette that he'd brought home. Although he had told Eren to forget him, he had passing thoughts of him. One's that would come and go, like how his light yet dominating touch had made him feel something - something that he hadn't felt with Erwin. For him to even feel was a surprise in the first place. He hadn't in years, and what he experienced with the brunette - it was nothing. In Levi's world, there wasn't a such thing as love. Only temporary feelings that were soon to fade at any minute without notice. He was simply saving himself the trouble of having a repeat of the last three years of his life, he couldn't handle living in another lie. The point had come and gone where, it wasn't that he didn't care anymore, but he just couldn't. 

   "Well, I did finally finish the routine, and I definitely need a distraction." Hanji squealed with excitement. "Okay shitty glasses don't piss yourself." The brunette threw her arms around his waist and squeezed him as hard as she could, "God dammit, if you squeeze me to death then I can't do shit."  "I'm just excited, I can't wait to see you on stage short shack!" His glare was enough for her to let go of him and let him hurriedly walk to his dressing room. As he went to prep himself for the night, Petra stayed behind with Hanji. "So Petra, you know anything about the boy toy you saw walking out of Levi's dressing room?" Petra shrugged, "Not really, and it was probably personal."  "Your right, he probably doesn't want to admit he got lucky~" Petra couldn't help but bite her lip to suppress a laugh, "I doubt it, that 'boy toy,' was a prostitute." Hanji's eyes widened in shock, "A prostitute?! I don't believe it, Levi doesn't do shit like that." Again, the ginger's only response was a shrug, "I don't know Hanji, he's been really bent outta shape since he and Erwin cut ties. Maybe he just wanted someone to spend time with." Hanji rolled her eyes, " _Right_  , because prostitutes are totally paid to just sit around, make conversation, and sip tea." Petra thought for a moment, she did have a point. As she glanced around the club out of boredom, she noticed a familiar face at the bar, "Speak of the devil," she said, leaning closer next to Hanji. Her attention was quickly pointed towards the tan, well built male. "That's him?" She couldn't believe it, he was cute. He was sitting alone, downing a strawberry daiquiri. His hair was messy, but it looked good on him, and he wore a tight red and black tank top, with a pair of loose, dark jeans. "I'm gonna go talk to him," before Petra could stop her, Hanji was already sashaying in his direction.


	12. Chapter 12

Petra silently panicked as she watched Hanji walk towards Eren. Her first thought was to stop her, but it was too late. She watched as Hanji nonchalantly sat on a stool close to the brunette and order a drink. A part of her wanted to know what Hanji was even going to say, but something told her it would work itself out - at least she hoped.

She decided it best to go check on Levi and see how long it would be before he was ready. Reluctantly, she made her way to the back of the club and down the hallway to Levi's dressing room. She lightly knocked on the door before he told her to come in. She was careful to look away, not wanting to catch a glimpse of him looking indecent. Levi rolled his eyes, "I'm dressed, you can look." The red head blushed and looked over to him, doing her best to hide how she bit her lip at the sight of him in his classic all black outfit and movie-ready makeup.

The male didn't seem to notice as he ruffled his hair in the mirror, giving it a playful and messy look. Levi gave a look of satisfaction and reached over the table in front of him, picking up a silver case and pulling a cigarette out. The small case slammed shut with an audible 'click' and was casually tossed back where it sat before. "I thought you quit." Petra said, her head cocked to the side with a look of worry. "So did I," in a second he had a lighter in hand and began lazily puffing on the ignited tabacco.

It was silent, all except for the click of heels against the wooden floor as the short woman approached. Levi seemed unfazed as she stepped forward, her arms gently wrapping around Levi's neck from behind. She looked forward into the mirror that set in front of them, although the man's eyes only peered into her gentle ones for a moment before his shifted away. Petra's hand lightly brushed away strands that dared to abstruct his vision.

Hesitantly his hand covered hers, lightly squeezing it, almost afraid to hold on too tightly. With a sigh and another puff of the cancer between his fingers, he looked to his reflection, watching as the smoke rolled out from between his lips.

"That guy you saw a few nights ago is here." Levi's raised his eyebrows, looking away, "He's here every night." Petra let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, "You're not wrong about that, I've just - you wanted to talk to him the other night alone, and I know why he hangs around here so much." The male rolled his eyes at the statement, "I just didn't think that was something you'd do." There was a pause, Levi's voice threatening to break it as he went to form words that didn't have time to come out before the other spoke. "Is that why you and Erwin..." Her soft voice trailed off.

With a deep breath, he said quietly, "Yeah.." He quickly cleared his throat as he could feel his voice on the edge of breaking. "It is." He stated firmly.

Again, silence crept upon them, although it was almost like that's all he needed to say. Petra knew him. She knew him better than to act on impulse and impulse alone. She knew that he had his reasons and that was good enough for her. The woman's arms retracted, her hands now resting on his shoulders as he set his cigarette in the ashtray close to him.

"I should probably get out there before Hanji comes to hunt me down." Levi stood, a bit taller than normal thanks to his heels. Within seconds both were shutting the door behind them, making their way down an all too familiar hallway.

 

 


End file.
